Nanomaterials are increasingly being used for crop growth, especially as a new paradigm for plant disease management. Among the other nanomaterials, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) draw a great deal of attention because of their unique features and multiple usages. Rapid expansion in nanotechnology and utilization of AgNPs in a large range of areas resulted in the substantial release of these nanoparticles into the soil and water environment, causing concern for the safety of ecosystems and phytosanitary. In an attempt to find an effective control measure for sweet potato soft rot disease, the pathogen Dickeya dadantii was exposed to AgNPs, the cell-free culture supernatant (CFCS) of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alone, and both in combination. AgNPs were synthesized using CFCS of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain A3. The green synthesized AgNPs exhibited a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 410–420 nm. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy determined the nanocrystalline nature and 20–100 nm diameters of AgNPs. Release of metal Ag⁺ ion from biosynthesized AgNPs increases with time. AgNPs and CFCS of B. amyloliquefaciens alone exhibited antibacterial activity against the growth, biofilm formation, swimming motility, and virulence of strain A3. The antibacterial activities elevated with the elevation in AgNPs and CFCS concentration. Similar antibacterial activities against D. dadantii were obtained with AgNPs at 50 µg·mL⁻¹, 50% CFCS alone, and the combination of AgNPs at 12 µg·mL⁻¹ and 12% CFCS of B. amyloliquefaciens. In planta experiments indicated that all the treatments reduced D. dadantii infection and increased plant growth. These findings suggest that AgNPs along with CFCS of B. amyloliquefaciens can be applied to minimize this bacterial disease by controlling pathogen-contaminated sweet potato tuber with minimum Ag nano-pollutant in the environment.

The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliv.) (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae) is a well-known palm tree pest that has caused enormous economic damage all over the globe. Insecticides are still the primary method of controlling this pest at this period. However, field populations of RPW have been shown to be resistant to pesticides. Using Bacillus spp. might be one of the options for controlling R. ferruginous. In this study, 23 species of Bacillus spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of date palm trees in Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. The isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. R. ferrugineus larvae and adults were tested on sugarcane pieces that were treated with the B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 and B. cereus strains (PDC-AHSAA2, PDC-AHSA3 and PDC-AHSA4). The LC₅₀ values for larvae and adults were quite low when they were compared with those of the other isolated strains. The B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 was more effective against both the larvae and adults. The determined LC₅₀ values for B. thuringiensis ranged from 4.19 × 10⁷–3.78 × 10⁹. After 21 days, the data on larval mortality and body weight were evaluated. The surviving larvae that were treated with the bacterial isolates did not acquire a substantial weight. For the RPW larvae and adults, the mortality and corrected mortality death rates were increased by increasing the concentration of B. thuringiensis. In conclusion, Bacillus-treated diets negatively influenced the growth and development of the RPW. This research reported on the interaction between the RPW and the rhizosphere Bacillus spp. and highlighted the tremendous potential for the development of microbial resource-based control strategies for this pest.

The genus Hertia , which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a flowering genus with 12 species found in Africa, North and South.

The aim of this work was to improve the quality parameters, functional properties, and sensory attributes of the fino bread using sprouted whole wheat flour (SWWF) at different levels, i.e., 3, 6, and 9%. Results demonstrated that SWWF has two-fold phenolic compounds and antioxidant ability compared to unsprouted wheat. The SWWF was found to be high in protein, minerals, and fat while low in carbohydrates compared to the control sample. Additionally, the microbial loads of SWWF were within processing-acceptable limits. Dough stability and rheological attributes of wheat with SWWF were evaluated to predict the texture of the final bread. There was a positive correlation between stability time and mixed dough and texture parameters of wheat bread with SWWF. The bread made using SWWF was high in protein content. The panelists accepted the bread up to 9% SWWF addition from a sensory perspective. The findings demonstrated that SWWF might be suggested for utilization as an enhancer, particularly up to 9% addition in the bread-making industry.

The development of bacterial antibiotic resistance poses a danger to healthcare systems worldwide. To reduce the spread of disease, researchers are looking for novel measures to control bacterial infections to reduce the spread of disease. The antibacterial properties of Xanthium strumarium methanolic and ethanolic extracts were evaluated against Enterobacter cloacae and E. hormaeche isolated from some invertebrates (Porcellio laevis, Armadillidium sp. (isopods), and Archispirostreptus syriacus). All Enterobacter strains tested positive for the presence of the virulence genes csgA, csgD, AcrAB, fimH, and Hsp60. Extracts of X. strumarium had significant anti-biofilm activity against E. cloacae and E. hormaechei. The disruption of established biofilm growth by the plant samples proved to be effective against E. cloacae and E. hormaechei. Both E. cloacae and E. hormaechei showed inhibition of biofilm formation and promotion of biofilm eradication in response to X. strumarium extract. Phenolic compounds such as ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and trans-cinnamic acid, and flavonoids such as kaempferol were the most abundant components in the extract and might play crucial roles in the extracts antibacterial and antibiofilm action. Results suggest that ethanolic leaf extracts from X. strumarium show potential as a novel approach to prevent infections caused by E. cloacae and E. hormaechei.

Klebsiella is a common dangerous pathogen for humans and animals and is widely present in the digestive system. The genus Klebsiella is ubiquitous, as it is endemic to surface water, soil, and sewage. In this study, 70 samples were obtained from soil-dwelling invertebrates from September 2021 to March 2022 from Taif and Shafa in different altitudinal regions of Saudi Arabia. Fifteen of these samples were identified as Klebsiella spp. The Klebsiella isolates were genetically identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae using rDNA sequencing. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the Klebsiella isolates was determined. Amplification of virulence genes was performed using PCR. In this study, 16S rDNA sequencing showed a similarity from 98% to 100% with related K. pneumonia from the NCBI database, and the sequences were deposited in the NCBI GenBank under accession numbers ON077036 to ON077050. The growth inhibition properties of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the medicinal plant Rhazya stricta’s leaves against K. pneumoniae strains using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method and disc diffusion were evaluated. In addition, the biofilm inhibitory potential of these extracts was investigated using crystal violet. HPLC analysis identified 19 components divided into 6 flavonoids, 11 phenolic acids, stilbene (resveratrol), and quinol, and revealed variations in the number of components and their quantities between extracts. Both extracts demonstrated interesting antibacterial properties against K. pneumoniae isolates. The 2 extracts also showed strong biofilm inhibitory activities, with percentages of inhibition extending from 81.5% to 98.7% and from 35.1% to 85.8% for the ethanolic and methanolic extracts, respectively. Rhazya stricta leaf extract revealed powerful antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against K. pneumoniae isolates and could be a good candidate for the treatment or prevention of K. pneumonia-related infections.